Reception 

The Only Way Is Badger is a great book to show children how we can sometimes make mistakes and that is OK if we learn from them. The story follows badger who wants all the forest animals to be more badger and he lets the ones that can't be like a badger go because they're not like him.

 

The children's responses:

 

 'We are all different and beautiful.' 

 

  'God didn't want us all to be the same. He likes us being different.' 

 

' It makes me happy when I play with someone who likes playing with different things and games.'

 

Amazing Grace

A touching and beautiful picture book about being true to yourself and not letting anyone hold you back. This is the perfect story for children everywhere to remind them to be themselves no matter what the world tells you. 

 

'We are good at different things...if we practise something we get good at it.' 

 

'I like making cars out of the mobilo. My cars have lots of wheels. I'm going to make fast cars when I grow up,' 

 

'My brother likes dancing.' 
 

What If We Were All The Same!

What If We Were All The Same! embraces all of our beautiful differences. Aimed to help children understand there are many great reasons for being friends with those who are different than they are. Whether they have red hair or brown hair, green eyes or blue eyes, long legs or short legs, light skin or dark skin, glasses, uses a wheelchair or anything else, it's absolutely OKAY! Our differences are what makes us unique, and if we genuinely think about it, would you want to be the same as someone else. We can be friends with everyone! 

 

'I like having lots of friends. My friends are a bit like me but a bit like themselves too.' 

 

'It’s a wrong choice to not be someone's friend because they don't have the same colour hair and skin.' 

 

Y1 enjoyed making Diva lamps to celebrate Diwali. Mr Pal taught the children all about his family celebrations. 

Spring term 

 

This term we have looked at the book 'Coming to England' by Florella Benjamin. The children in Year 1 have been looking at how she may have felt when coming to England and going to a new school. 

Our wonderful office staff dressed up to celebrate the Sikh holiday, the birth of the Guru Granth on Tuesday 20th October. Thank you to Mrs Birdi who visited classrooms to tell children all about Sikh traditions. #Diversity #Learningfromothers

During our Collective Worship Assembly, we celebrated the saintly life of Venerable Augustus Tolton , a former slave and the first black Roman Catholic priest in America. He met hatred and discrimination with love and persevered in his mission to become a priest. #Catholiclife

Year 2 

Year 2 enjoyed discussing this powerful book all about a girl wearing a hijab at school for the first time. The children were inspired by Asiya’s inner strength when dealing with discrimination and understood the importance of being proud of who you are!

Year 2 have started celebrating Black History month by sharing what makes us different, special and unique.

This term Year 2 have looked at two different books, one fiction and one non-fiction. We've studied Rosa Parks life and found her actions to be brave and inspiring but we were sad they were needed, and we looked at the story of Sulwe, a little girl who could not see how beautiful she was. We have had some amazing discussions on our daily Zoom meetings and we feel strongly that everyone is beautiful just the way they are. 

Year 3

Year 3 enjoyed reading ‘Henry’s Freedom Box’ which tells the story of 19th century Virginia slave Henry Brown, who mailed himself to friends in Philadelphia where he escaped to freedom. We were amazed by the powerful illustrations throughout the book.

 

 

Over the half term holidays, Year 3 created a 'Freedom Box' similar to Henry's. Click on the tab to see the amazing boxes they created!

Spring Term 

Year Three have thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Hidden Figures,' a non- fiction text.  At home and in school, we enjoyed learning all about NACA and NASA. We learned about Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden and Mary Jackson, four incredible mathematicians. 

 

Each day on our Zoom call, we had great fun learning all about their incredible work. We were saddened to learn about the segregation they faced because of their gender and skin colour.

 

Their determination, resilience and endurance taught us that with a strong mindset, we can achieve anything! 

 

 

Year 4

In Year 4, we had some great discussion about equality, boldness and standing up for what you believe in today. We have been inspired by some of the women in our key text and we are looking forward to learning more about them next week.

In Year 4, we have been using the book 'Bold Women in Black History' by Vashti Harrison, to learn about some amazing black women who challenged social prejudices and broke down racial barriers. We then used this new knowledge to write to the Prime Minister to persuade him to include Black History in our National Curriculum. Here is some of our work. 

Year 4 enjoyed learning about Benjamin Zephaniah today, an inspirational poet and writer from Birmingham. Follow this link to listen to his poem, ‘People need people!’

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1suwnlmBlao&app=desktop 

Year 5

In the Autumn term, Year 5 enjoyed reading and discussing the impact of the black female mathematicians in the book 'Hidden Figures.'  This beautifully written and powerful book tells the inspiring story of four female mathematicians - Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden - who worked at NASA and played a significant part in American history from WW2 through to he Space Race. Not only were they behind many key events in NASA’s history, but they also played a significant role in fighting for gender and racial equality - leading by example. 

Spring Term

The book Freedom Bird by Jerdine Nolen tells the story of John and Millicent Wheeler, whose parents were sold as slaves and who now live and work on Simon Plenty’s North Carolina Plantation. Before being sold, their parents told them stories of how one day their people would fly away to freedom; these are the hopes and dreams that remain alive in their hearts. 

Black and British by David Olusoga explores the following questions:

When did Africans first come to Britain?
Who are the well-dressed black children in Georgian paintings?
Why did the American Civil War disrupt the Industrial Revolution?
These and many other questions are answered in this essential introduction to 1800 years of the Black British history: from the Roman Africans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall right up to the present day.

Summer Term

Year 6

 

During Black History Month, Year Six researched racism in football and the case of Anthony Walker. After reading the shocking facts, Year Six have written letters to Boris Johnson and emotive speeches about the importance of eradicating racism.  Please follow the link, to hear our emotive speeches.

 

https://st-albans-catholic-primary-school-birmingham.primarysite.media/playlist/year-six

Spring Term Two

Year Six enjoyed learning about Mo Farah's life and achievements.

Autumn Term 2021

 

During the Autumn Term, Year Six are reading about the Windrush generation that came to Britain in 1948.  People travelled from The Caribbean, to help rebuild Britain after World War Two.  However, when the Windrush generation arrived in Britain they were subjected to racism and discrimination.

Autumn 1 - Year 5

Year 5 have been looking at Environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. Wangari was born in Kenya when girls didn't normally go to school. But her mother decided she should. 

Wangari Maathai founded a movement to save forests, engaged in politics, questioned the powerful and corrupt Kenyan president, and proved that one person who challenges the rules can make a difference. 

We wrote and performed speeches as though we were Wangari. 

Please watch some examples below.